A Sensation in Your Fingers
by Kelila
Summary: Just a little short story about Aelita's first time on Earth. It takes place between the last two episodes of the first season.


There was a tingling in Aelita's head. It felt something like XANA's pulses were coursing through her head. She didn't like the sensation. It was a bad feeling, uncomfortable. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that she _felt._

The program had worked. She quickly opened her eyes, and sat up. She was looking into Jérémie's face for the first time. She felt another sensation. This one was better, it was fluttery, like wings flapping… but it was in her stomach… And there were other sensations all around her.

Jérémie smiled at her. "Welcome to earth," he said. His voice quavered. It sounded different. Then, something slipped from his left eye, and down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away, and drew a shuddering breath. Around him were Odd, and Yumi, and Ulrich. Also, someone she didn't recognize looked on from behind. Ulrich was standing up, pulling himself from Yumi's arms. His cheeks were turning a little red. The group stepped away, and Jérémie held out a hand to Aelita. She reached up and took it.

Another sensation.

It was the same as her other hand was feeling on the metal scanner, but different. She didn't know what to call it, there was so much different in the feeling of Jérémie's hand. It was so different from the metal. She drew a breath, _breathed, _and stood up. She could feel the air around her. She could feel everything.

Aelita spoke her first words on Earth: "Jérémie what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just so happy," he wiped at his cheeks again.

"That is what happy does to humans?" She was concerned. She reached her other hand out to his cheek, wiping away a stream of the stuff.

"They're tears," Jérémie explained. He noted the wonder in her face as she stared at her fingers. "They're wet. That feeling is wet."

"Wet," Aelita repeated. She rubbed her fingers together. "These sensations, feelings, are everywhere."

"Yes they are. There are nerves all over your body."

"Your hand feels different from the scanner," Aelita stated. She pulled his hand to the scanner.

"The scanner is metal, hard, and cold," Jérémie said. "And my hand is soft and warm, made of flesh. I'll tell you everything."

Aelita felt something new. It was like she couldn't breath, her throat tightened. It was similar to the pulsing in her head, but it was warm like Jérémie's hand. Then a sensation started in her eyes, it was cool, like the metal, and it spilled over and down her cheek. "I'm making tears like you," she eaked out. It was hard to speak, and her voice came out broken and cracked, like Jérémie's.

"You're crying," Ulrich put in, helpfully. His cheeks were no longer red. Yumi's eyes looked like they might cry, too. Odd was smiling. The stranger looking on in the back was also smiling, but he also looked confused, and in awe. Aelita wanted to see what they all felt like. She wanted to know if all humans felt the same, or if they were all different.

"I have so much to learn," she said. "So many feelings." It was getting easier to talk, and to breathe again. She didn't let go of Jérémie's hand, but she approached her other friends, leading Jérémie along. She reached her free hand out to each one of the others individually. Yumi's hand was softer than Jérémie's- that's what they told her. Ulrich's was rougher. Odd's was about the same as Jérémie's. Aelita marveled at everything she touched, and Jérémie explained the feeling to her. Then, she came to the stranger.

"Aelita, this is Jim, our physical education teacher," Jérémie introduced them. "He helped me get here, because my ankle is hurt."

"Hurt?" Aelita asked. She understood what hurt meant, but didn't know what it felt like. It must have been bad, though. A bad feeling, that must be like the pulsing in her head, which had eased up, but wasn't gone yet. The she noticed that Jérémie was not using his left ankle; he was keeping off of it.

"What happened anyway?" Odd asked.

"I just fell down the stairs," Jérémie answered, shrugging Odd's question off. "I was in such a hurry to get here." He changed the subject. "Let's get you ready for school, Aelita." He led her out of the factory and into the daylight.

Aelita shielded her eyes from the sun; automatically said "Ow!" Her eyes slowly adjusted to the light, and she looked around. "What happened?" she asked.

Jérémie explained, "The sunlight was too bright. It hurt your eyes, but now your eyes are used to the light, so it doesn't hurt anymore."

"So that's what pain is like. Is that what my head was feeling?"

"You probably had a headache. Is it better now?"

"Yes. Is you ankle better?"

"A little bit, it's easier to walk." H leaned a little bit of weight on his hurt ankle.

"Oh, Jérémie, there's a sensation in my nose…" Aelita said. She pointed to her nose as if Jérémie wouldn't know where it was.

"That's smell. You probably smell the water."

"Hey," Odd called as he ran out of the factory and past Jérémie and Aelita. "We have to hurry." He was followed by Ulrich and Yumi.

"Yes. Come on, Jérémie, let's go!" Aelita ran after them. Jérémie hurried to catch up.

By the time he caught up, Aelita was in a panic. She couldn't breath. The others were around her, trying to calm her, and help her catch her breath.

"It's okay, Aelita, just breathe slowly," Odd soothed.

"In and out… in and out," Yumi encouraged.

"Put your arms over your head, it will help," Ulrich added, guiding Aelita through the motion.

Aelita calmed and was soon breathing normally again. She looked around. There was so much surrounding her, and so many things, and colors, and smells. "What happened? Why couldn't I breathe?"

"When you run, your muscles have to use more oxygen, so it uses up faster, and you loose you breath," Jérémie explained.

"Wow, there's so much I have to learn…"

"Don't worry, Aelita, we'll teach you everything we know," Odd said.

"This will be very short lessons from Odd…" Ulrich joked.

"Hey!"

The kids laughed as they walked as a group to Aelilta's first day of school.


End file.
